Achieving Relevant Outcomes

Physician report cards have been a popular mechanism to encourage quality improvement since the 1990s, however there has been minimal studies on the provider reaction or their change in behavior. Over the past 10 years our FQHC site has demonstrated the evolution of the physician report cards. Initially we gave the physicians a spreadsheet of their cancer screening rates with an educational session. This provided little change in behavior. Subsequently, the results were displayed in graphic representation to the team. Although these were received more favorably, rates of screening did not improve. Relevant is a program which links measures to the patient registry in our EMR eCW. Using Relevant, we are able to determine which patients in the physician panel needs a variety of measures. Using this list, the physician is then able to reach out to the pertinent patient to bring them in for the appropriate screening. In determining improvement in cancer screening, we found that physicians are not motivated by numbers. Although color graphic representations were better received by the team, it did not result in significant change in behavior. In using Relevant, we were able to have physicians reflect on their own patient care.